IN addition to the federal taxes, there are state/city taxes, social security/medicare taxes, and state/city sales taxes, not to mention various fees which are in effect taxes disproportionately affecting the poor.
Obviously I cannot climb into legislators' heads, and realize employers contribute also, but my guess is it mostly tax exempt because FICA is not deductible, so a great deal of it was long ago taxed as income. If FICA and Medicare WERE deductible, well, needless to say that would radically change both our tax code and perception of it, particularly in places with state income tax.

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Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
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Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.
Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!

LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.
Why Joel is CRAZY - Nearly Half of All Americans Don't Pay Federal Income Taxes
23/02/2012 04:43:15 AM
- 1689 Views
Income taxes are not the only kind of taxes. 86% of Americans pay payroll or income tax.
23/02/2012 09:51:50 PM
- 1243 Views
A not so hypothetical situation...
23/02/2012 05:46:44 AM
- 1106 Views
Your paying more money now than then. Lower rate but more money *NM*
23/02/2012 07:52:51 AM
- 655 Views
Why the heck do you think the current tax system is skewed to the rich?
23/02/2012 03:18:43 PM
- 1241 Views
Once again, poor people have no money with which to pay taxes.
23/02/2012 06:23:07 AM
- 1264 Views
50% of America is not "poor" or too poor to pay federal income taxes.....
23/02/2012 01:01:24 PM
- 1167 Views
You base that statement on what, exactly? Fervent desire that it be true?
25/02/2012 12:43:30 AM
- 1645 Views
2009 (the year cited for this claim) was an outlier because of temporary tax cuts and the economy.
25/02/2012 01:14:01 AM
- 1432 Views
Interesting, but lacking the data I consider critical; FICA etc. should not be counted, IMHO.
25/02/2012 02:10:45 AM
- 1276 Views
It's a phrasing thing, permits more bullshit
25/02/2012 04:41:06 AM
- 1233 Views
Maybe I am just playing the same game,but I find stats from "the other side" compelling in some ways
25/02/2012 10:36:40 AM
- 1709 Views
You're operating under the same fallacy he does - that people should pay income taxes.
23/02/2012 12:05:52 PM
- 1298 Views
In much the same way
23/02/2012 01:40:58 PM
- 1258 Views
Joel is crazy, but I highly doubt that this is "why"
23/02/2012 01:36:37 PM
- 1287 Views
I see your point, but not how it changes much in the conversation where we discussed that
25/02/2012 01:49:29 AM
- 1082 Views
You mention this statistic all the time.
23/02/2012 02:16:47 PM
- 977 Views
Obviously, we are talking about the bottom 50%.....
23/02/2012 03:22:43 PM
- 1004 Views
I wonder how much of that statistic is students
23/02/2012 02:22:58 PM
- 1234 Views
The number "paying taxes" should include dependents of those paying
23/02/2012 02:39:21 PM
- 1203 Views
yah I read the link, but apparently I just didn't understand their explanation.
23/02/2012 05:40:54 PM
- 1007 Views
Federal taxes
23/02/2012 04:18:22 PM
- 1114 Views
Your figures are fairly unrealistic
23/02/2012 04:54:44 PM
- 1302 Views
Not entirely.
23/02/2012 06:30:18 PM
- 1045 Views
Yeah I don't normally assume NY as a baseline
23/02/2012 06:41:37 PM
- 1129 Views

It probably isn't. We even tax delivery fees, gardening services and other things with sales tax.
25/02/2012 07:03:46 PM
- 1098 Views
We don't tax transport of property either
25/02/2012 08:16:53 PM
- 1135 Views

Places usually get around it with free delivery. A tax on a $0 item is still $0. *NM*
25/02/2012 09:12:22 PM
- 533 Views
On exempting SS income:
25/02/2012 02:30:43 AM
- 1061 Views

And give the riff raff a reason to become involved in politics? Are you daft? *NM*
24/02/2012 05:04:51 AM
- 694 Views
25% of america is under 18, that means ~25% of the rest are not working or paid very little
25/02/2012 08:17:52 PM
- 1241 Views